


Sweets'n Love; bring Joy to our Hearts

by cuddlydreamsonrainydays



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bakery, Christmas, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 15:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4751036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlydreamsonrainydays/pseuds/cuddlydreamsonrainydays
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas time, but that means something different to everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweets'n Love; bring Joy to our Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> hey my lovelies!  
> i am currently in france for three months, but i will nevertheless celebrate a hundred kudos and thank every single one of you with this little thing i have written a few weeks ago.  
> i know that it isn't christmas at all, but i love christmas and that's enough justification.  
> i don't own one direction, etc.  
> enjoy!

Liam shivered. It was December and despite the Christmas feeling everywhere, it was damn cold and of course he hadn’t brought his warmest coat. (That one just didn’t look as good as the thinner one.) So here he was, cursing his freaking vanity and walking as quickly as possible without making a fool of himself to stay a bit warm. That was a lost case, probably. He had only wanted to stop by at the supermarket and get some biscuits or something, really, just quick. 

The oh-so-hyped Christmas holiday had lost his magic seven years ago when his father had left them right on Christmas Eve, running off and never coming back, when Liam was thirteen. He was totally over that, thank you very much, but Christmas was supposed to be a holiday of love, family and peace, and since that was ruined, Liam only scoffed when he walked by all the chocolates and Christmas-themed cakes and sugary stuff with silly pictures. 

His mother drank on Christmas (more like every day, but especially on Christmas) and rather wasted her money on alcohol than on sweet treats. The things were horrendously expensive before Christmas, the price justified with a little bow that made people’s eyes light up. Really. If Liam ever bought Christmas candy, he did it in January. Cheap, and as a student at college with a single, alcoholic Mum he was constantly short on money. 

He had a job, yes, working as a boxing trainer for kids in a sports club three to four evenings a week, but he also had a rent to pay and student loans to pay off, and he thought pretty logical (most of the time, the goose bumps on his arms reminded him), so he watched his money, especially during Christmas time. 

He wouldn’t have expected the supermarket that was the nearest to his apartment be closed, though, so he had gone outside in the icy cold for absolutely nothing. He wasn’t in that good of a mood, obviously. He ran into two people without apologizing and finally decided that it was enough. He’d gone outside already, he’d not go back to his flat without some sugar in his system that was badly needed. 

His kitchen was empty, he’d anyways need to order some pizza. Or Chinese. Or whatever takeaway, the point was that right now he needed sugar or he’d yell at the next person that he bumped into even when it was completely his own fault. And Liam prided himself with normally being a nice, chill person. 

So when a door to his right swung open and he was hit not only with warm air, but also with an overwhelming smell of sweetness and baked goods, he didn’t hesitate a second and fled into the shop. 

It was a small, cosy bakery, not exactly the type of shop that Liam normally frequented because the decoration was flowery and not quite matching, with everything just that little bit over the top. There were vintage style sign with quotes on them everywhere, in every colour that Liam could possibly think of and even more. It could’ve looked awful easily, but the atmosphere made it look comfortable somehow, and the smell was delicious. 

Liam turned to the counter, and – of course. Everything was full of daintily decorated pastries, cookies, cakes, croissants, and generally just about everything Liam could’ve imagined. He spotted a ginger bread Santa and some Disney-themed sugar cookies and decided that, even though he felt the weird desire to stay and just breath in this heavenly smell forever, this was not the right place for him. 

He was about to turn around and leave when a boy stumbled out from the back and oh, well. Liam might as well stay, now that he suddenly couldn’t move his legs anymore because they felt like jelly. The boy was gorgeous, with flushed red cheeks and messy blonde hair. He grinned widely at Liam, pushing a streak of hair out of his eyes and getting some flour on his forehead. He was downright adorable. Liam was fucked. 

“Hi, welcome to Sweets ’n Love, how may I help you?” 

“Uh…” 

“If you’re not sure what to choose, I can especially recommend the Santa cookies today, baked them myself and I must say they’re delicious, and you do look like the chocolatey type.” 

“Excuse me?” 

“You’re cute, you have chocolate eyes, so you are the chocolatey type, obviously.” 

Right, obviously. The boy, Niall, his nametag read, was blunt. Liam felt a bit as if he’d just got run over by a truck, but he didn’t really mind. 

“Thanks, I guess?” Why had his voice decided to go up an octave all of a sudden? It was embarrassing. Liam cleared his throat uncomfortably. 

“So, do you want a Santa cookie? Or rather some cake?” 

“Uh, right… Do you have something that is, like, not Christmas?” Liam managed to get his legs back under control and took two steps toward the counter that Niall was leaning against. His brows were furrowed. 

“But it is Christmas!” He protested. 

“Yeah, but… You don’t have something not-Christmas?” 

“But why would you want something that is not Christmas when it is Christmas?” He cocked his head at Liam, genuinely confused, with those big, bright blue eyes. 

“Forget it,” Liam sighed. “I’ll take one of the Santa cookies.” How had Niall persuaded him now? 

“Great! Let me pack it for you.” Niall hummed along to the song on the radio, Last Christmas, Liam realized and automatically had to suppress another sigh, while he carefully packed a colourful decorated cookie into a brown paper bag, and handed it to Liam with a bright smile. 

“That will be one pound, please.” Liam handed him the money over, still not really in his right mind, and Niall’s smile widened even more. 

“Have a great day and a merry Christmas!” 

“You too,” Liam replied without thinking and left the bakery. Outside in the cold he stopped abruptly. What exactly had just happened? Niall was way too cheerful for Liam’s liking (he always wondered where those people that were always smiling left their bad mood and their aggressions, really, no one was happy 24/7) – but nevertheless, Liam couldn’t get those eyes out of his mind. 

He headed home quickly and made himself a cup of tea with the big cookie to get warm again before he had to resume studying for his criminology exam. The cookie was extremely sweet, just the looks already, decorated with exactness and patience that Liam would never have for something he’d eat anyways, but the Santa theme still stung and now, without Niall and his cheery smile, he wished he’d insisted on something else. Christmas themed stuff just wasn’t his thing anymore. 

He ate the cookie anyways, biting off Santa’s head first and feeling oddly satisfied because of it, and Niall had been right. It was delicious, perfectly chewy and chocolatey and yes, Niall had also been right about the chocolate type thing. Liam definitely was the chocolatey type, it was his biggest guilty pleasure. But even though he was an amazing baker with amazing eyes and overwhelming cheerfulness, Liam had to get Niall out of his mind.

 

He went back to the bakery the next day after his last class, psychology, drained from six hours in lecture halls and in need of some sugar. He didn’t exactly know why he’d stopped by the bakery. It was more than unreasonable, but something had made him forget to by some plain chocolate chip cookies from the supermarket after his early morning shift there. He’d been lacking caffeine, yes, that had to be it, for sure. 

And when he walked by the bakery with the cheesy colourful ‘Sweets ‘n Love’ sign hanging over the street, he couldn’t resist walking in. This time, Niall was already there, serving a customer, a man about thirty-five in a suit and with a business bag under his arm. 

“One coffee, please, and I’ll pay for two.” 

“A person in need will appreciate that, thank you very much!” Niall was as cheerful as the day before, he hadn’t spotted Liam yet who hung around near the door. He could’ve left easily, but he was curious now. Why did that man pay for two coffees, but wanted to have only one? When he’d said his good byes to Niall, Liam walked up to the counter. 

“Hi!” Niall seemed happy to see him, but then again, he always seemed happy. 

“I had a feeling that you’d be back! I didn’t catch your name yesterday, too, and that’s a pity because there’s surely a beautiful name going with that beautiful face of yours.” Liam flushed deep red. He wasn’t used to being flirted with so openly. 

“My name is Liam,” he croaked out. “Niall, right?” 

“Right you are! Liam really suits you.” Liam was absolutely lost for words, he could only stare. Niall luckily was talkative enough for the both of them (and ten more people). 

“See, I knew you’d come back, and so I prepared something especially for you today.” Liam’s eyes widened, but Niall was too busy shuffling around behind the counter to notice. He came back to the surface with a chocolate chip cookie (Liam assumed it was like yesterday’s Santa cookie) in his hand, but this one wasn’t decorated as a Santa. It was simply round with a smiley face. 

“I don’t quite get how someone could not like Christmas, but I thought small steps are the best so here’s something to cheer you up if all of the happy decorations fail to.” Liam couldn’t deny it anymore, he was officially infatuated with the blonde angel. 

“Thank you.” 

“Stop by every now and then,” Niall suggested. “I can try and cheer you up, I tell fantastic jokes.” 

“You don’t even have to try,” Liam blurted out and blushed. Niall grinned. 

“I just like to spread positive vibes. That cookie’s on the house.” 

“Thank you,” Liam repeated, feeling like a dumb fool. He remembered his curiosity from before when he saw a list hanging on the wall behind Niall, reading coffees payed on one side, and coffees taken on the other. 

“Right, uh, that man before, why did he pay for two coffees?” Niall’s eyes lit up and he immediately started to explain, capturing Liam’s entire attention just with his gestures and his animated talking style. 

“We’ve got this system, I personally think it’s really amazing, where someone who has enough money to spare pays for two or sometimes even three coffees, but only takes one – it’s all voluntary, of course – and then, when someone who’s very short on money comes in, they can get that coffee so it’s free for them. We call it fore-paying, and it’s really great. You wouldn’t think how many people pay for more than their own coffee, and I’m always really happy when I can give free coffee to a poorer person. I’d like to always do it, but sadly I also have to keep this bakery running.” 

“That sounds really great, Niall.” Liam was impressed by how positive a person could really be. He wished he could be like that, too, instant of bitter, celebrating Christmas alone every year without a hint of decoration in his flat. Sometimes he missed his inner child and regretted growing up so fast. Niall beamed at his comment. 

“And your cookies taste amazing.” 

“Thanks! I put a lot of love in them, you know, I think it’s important for the taste. And the bakery is called Sweets ‘n Love, after all, I’ve got a name to live up to!” 

“Are you the only one here?” Liam asked incredulously. He couldn’t imagine how one person could possibly find the time to bake all of these pastries and decorated them all alone. Niall laughed. 

“No, that would be a bit much. I’ve got my best mate Harry, he’s in the back. He’s got classes in the morning, though, so I do all the early work with the baking and decorating, and then I come here and Harry does his baking in the back. It works out perfectly most of the time, though we sometimes really piss each other off. We share a flat, too. Are you in university?” 

“Yeah, my major is criminology. I want to work with the FBI or something later. You?” 

“Wow, a future agent in my bakery, amazing. Nah, I don’t have the time to study and school’s not really my thing, to be honest. Inherited this bakery from my granddad when I’d just turned eighteen, been working here ever since I was fourteen. It’s my passion, the baking and making people happy with what I do, wouldn’t want to do anything else.” 

He shrugged simply, smiling. Liam smiled back. Niall knew what he wanted to do with his life and he was obviously totally comfortable with it. Liam couldn’t help envying him slightly. He himself was unsure, despite not coming off as that because he mostly hid behind a harder shell. He shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. 

“Uh, I’ve got to go.” 

“Are you coming back?” Niall cocked his head and Liam just couldn’t possibly resist those puppy eyes. He hated his hormones sometimes. 

“Yes. Yes, I am.” 

“I’ll be happy to see you then!” 

“See you, Niall.” 

And with that he left the bakery again, clutching a brown paper bag with a smiley cookie and his steps lighter than before. He didn’t feel the cold as much (though he was still too vain to wear his warmer, uglier coat). And now there weren’t only Niall’s eyes on his mind, but also his laugh, haunting him even in his dreams. (Liam hadn’t slept that good in ages, but that was something he’d never admit.)

 

He returned to ‘Sweets ‘n Love’ on Saturday. It was two weeks from Christmas, and he was alone on the weekend because Louis, his best mate, had been out to party on Friday and refused to get out of bed, and basically everyone Liam knew was doing their Christmas shopping or cramming for finals. Christmas time was always busy, and Liam always spent it alone. Louis spent Christmas with his family and he had so many siblings that Liam would feel bad, being an intruder in the Tomlinson’s house.

He’d contemplated the thought of just staying in bed too, but he hadn’t had time to hit the gym (apart from his boxing trainings for little kids) all week and he needed to work out and do something for his muscles, so he forced himself to leave his flat and go to the gym. After he was done with his work out, showered and everything, he was hungry. He didn’t even think about it consciously, his feet just carried him to the bakery by themselves (traitors), and he found himself inside in no time. 

Niall was working, again, but the bakery was weirdly quiet for Saturday afternoon. Nobody was in there, it was only Niall, humming along to the radio (Santa Claus is coming to town, this time) and reorganizing the trays filled with his pastries. Liam cleared his throat. 

“Uh, hi Niall?” 

“Liam!” Niall exclaimed. He forgot about what he’d been doing in a matter of mere seconds. “Hi! What can I help you with this time?” Liam hesitated for a moment. 

“Uh, I don’t know, recommend something? I’ve got time today, so a coffee too, maybe, and for here. I’m quite hungry, coming from the gym.” Niall sighed dramatically. 

“I knew that fit people had to work out, but I hope again every time that I’ll meet someone someday who can tell me their secret to get fit without actually having to work out. Have a seat, I’ll bring coffee and something to eat and then I’ll sit down with you, it’s quiet right now.” He winked. 

Liam gladly obeyed, dropping his bag on the floor next to a lilac armchair with a soft, bouncy seat. It was even more comfortable than it looked, and he needed to process what Niall had just said. That wink had made his brain stop working. Niall was obviously flirting with him, but was he really, or was that just how he treated everyone in general because he was a charming, nice guy? 

(Unlike Liam. Liam was polite, yes, he wasn’t bad-looking, he did have manners and everything, but he actually had to try to make people like him and he didn’t want to have many friends. That was what he told himself. People left anyways, didn’t they? He was fine with Louis and his studying.) 

Liam didn’t get enough time to organize his thoughts before Niall showed up with two cups of coffee and two plates. He slid into the armchair opposite to Liam and put the drinks and food on the table between them. He’d brought a chocolate layer cake that looked really impressive and not Christmas-themed again. Liam smiled. 

“So, I brought this because it is not Christmas, but already winter themed. I’m going to make you find your personal Christmas miracle, that’s my plan, but, as I already said, we’re taking small steps. What you have on your plate there is fortunately made by me which means that I can tell you exactly what it is. It’s a layer of brownie, then a layer of chocolate cream, then a second later of brownie, a layer of Nutella ganache and the frosting is my secret snowflake frosting – it contains hazelnut and lots of chocolate, but I won’t tell you anymore, you’ve got to try. The snowflakes and the glitter sprinkles are edible, of course.” Liam was close to drooling. 

“That sounds incredible,” he managed, grabbing his fork. Niall, who had the same on his plate, waited patiently for him to take the first bite. A moment later, Liam knew that it tasted at least as amazing as it had sounded. 

“Marry me,” he blurted out. Niall choked on his cake, then laughed. 

“Don’t you think you should take a man out for dinner before you propose?” Liam blushed terribly. 

“I… Your cake is amazing?” Niall grinned. 

“But, would you?” He asked, his smiled a little less cheerful than normally. Liam was confused and too far gone on chocolate cloud nine to get what Niall meant immediately. 

“What?” 

“Would you go out with me? As in a date? For dinner?” “

I’d love to.” Niall beamed, and Liam smiled. 

“It’s a date, then. And now tell me something about yourself. I don’t even know how old you are.” 

Their conversation went easily. Liam could’ve talked to Niall for hours, especially while there was amazing cake. (Niall refilled their plates an hour later after serving two customers with another piece of layer cake, this time Disney themed with figures of Toy Story, Liam’s second biggest guilty pleasure because he was twenty, after all, and with two layers of chocolate biscuit, one layer of chocolate chip cookie dough, one of chocolate ganache and a brown sugar frosting. Liam was in love.) 

He learned that Niall had grown up with the bakery and with his grand-parents. He couldn’t remember his parents, but he wasn’t that sad because he loved his grand-parents deeply, even if they were in a home now. He visited them at least twice a week. He was twenty just like Liam and he had Irish origins which explained his slight accent. 

Liam himself talked about his dream to be a police officer or even better an agent someday because he’d always wanted to save people’s life, and about the boxing and the little kids. They talked about their favourite films (Liam’s Toy Story and Disney in general, Niall’s Hangover), their favourite music (“I love playing the guitar,” Niall said. “But I don’t have that much time, owning a bakery takes a lot of time really… I’d never trade that for anything, though, not for all the free time in the world.”) and just random things that somehow came up. 

Talking to Niall was so easy that, when Liam’s mobile rang and he saw that it was already almost six, he was truly shocked. Niall had gotten up to serve customers every now and then, sure (Harry worked early on Saturdays, so Liam still had to meet him), but he wouldn’t have thought that that much time had passed. It was Louis. 

“Liam, please remind me to never drink again,” he moaned without a greeting. 

“As if you’d listen to me once,” Liam scoffed. “It’s you own fault that you’re so bloody hangover!” Louis only moaned. 

“Can you come over and make me food? Let’s order pizza and do a movie night or something. Without beer. We gotta use the chance that I wouldn’t want any and you’re not the only damn boring one.” 

“I’m not boring, and I’m not even home right now so don’t take me for granted all the time, I’m not always free!” 

“Wait, you’re not home? You’ve got a date or what?” Liam ignored the question as more and more customers started to pile in. Niall shot him an apologetic glance from behind the counter, but the evening rush really wasn’t his fault (Liam wished the afternoon could last forever, but that was also something he’d never admit.) and he had wasted enough of Niall’s time anyways. 

“Fine, I’ll be at yours in thirty, but only if you pay for the pizza.” Louis groaned. 

“You’re getting me poor.” 

“You owe me like three fridges filled with food,” Liam returned. He wasn’t giving in to Louis, Louis was not Niall. “Plus you’re the one begging me to come.” Louis sighed. 

“The usual?” 

“That’s what I want to hear.” 

They hung up, and Liam went to the counter to return his licked clean plate. Niall turned halfway to him while he was making coffee for an elderly lady. 

“You leaving?” 

“My mate Louis, I told you, he wants me to come over because he’s terribly hungover and craving junk food. And I’ve kept you from work long enough. I really enjoyed myself this afternoon, though.” Niall smiled and somehow managed to slide him a slip of paper while still working. 

“Call me.” He winked. Liam grinned. 

“Will do. You do owe me dinner.” Niall laughed. 

“Bye, Liam.” 

“Bye, Niall.” 

Liam didn’t feel the cold at all when he left this time, smiling from ear to ear and clutching not a cookie, but Niall’s number in his hand. He knew he’d definitely be back as soon as possible.

 

It was Monday evening and Liam should really, really be studying because he had exams in a week and he wanted to do well. But the bakery closed early on Mondays which left Niall a free evening and Liam’s boxing class for Monday had been cancelled because the studio needed to be cleaned or something like that. 

It had to be fate. (Liam was becoming sappy, and he knew it, but he liked the smile that thinking about Niall automatically put on his face.)  
So he didn’t get an early night in and a few hours of studying, but instead, he was out with Niall. (He tried to feel guilty, really, but it was impossible.) 

Niall had made a secret of where they’d be going, telling Liam to just meet him at the bakery at six because neither of them had a car and it was apparently walking distance. Liam had settled for simple black jeans and a plaid shirt then, not too casual for a restaurant but not too fancy. And his good-looking coat. 

He was never cold when he was with Niall, anyways. He didn’t mind the Christmas decorations around him as much anymore, his December blues by far not as strong as normally, and he was already smiling before he could even spot Niall in front of the bakery. 

“Hi,” he said a bit awkwardly. 

“Hi,” Niall answered sweetly, pulling Liam into a hug. “I’m happy to see you.” 

“Yeah, me too.” 

Silence. 

“So, where are we going?” Liam asked. Niall beamed. 

“You’ll see. I have to show you my favourite place of all.” He grabbed Liam’s hand, innocently like a child, and pulled him along. They were still holding hands when Liam had long caught up. Their fingers laced around each other’s with ease, as if they were two fitting pieces of one broken unity. 

Niall led him to a little place, the style kind of similar to his own bakery, but not as perfect in Liam’s eyes, where they (said Niall) had the best burritos of London. (The burritos were really the best Liam had ever tasted, but he wasn’t sure whether that was true or it was just that everything with Niall was amazing, especially when it made the blonde’s eyes shine with a child’s joy.) 

“So,” Niall started when their stomachs were satisfied a bit and they could talk again while eating. 

“You don’t drink?” 

“I don’t like it, the taste, and how it makes me feel, and I once lost a good friend. Got run over by a drunk driver in primary school. I promised myself then to never drink.” 

Niall nodded, visibly thinking about what Liam had said. That was another thing about him that Liam liked. Niall was funny, and he made Liam laugh, he could pull jokes so terrible that they were somehow funny again and his laughter made Liam want to join, but he always took him seriously and appreciated every bit of information that Liam shared, no matter how unimportant it was. 

“I’m sorry.” Liam flipped him off. 

“It’s okay.” 

“And you don’t like Christmas.” 

Niall hadn’t brought it up again until this point, not once in their conversation, but the place was only dimly lit in the darkness of a December evening and it felt safe, Liam felt like he could trust Niall. Even now, it wasn’t technically a question, Liam could’ve easily changed the topic, Niall hadn’t cornered him, and that made him open up. 

“My Dad left my Mum and me on Christmas Eve when I was thirteen. It’s not really a happy time for me, you know? She started drinking then and it’s the worst around Christmas. I don’t even go home. She wouldn’t want me there anyways, I look too much like my Dad when he was younger.” 

Liam looked down at his plate and quickly ate another fork of whatever he picked, he didn’t care and he didn’t taste it. He just didn’t want to see Niall’s reaction. He felt Niall’s warm hand on his though, comforting him with gentle strokes. 

“Oh, Liam, I’m sorry.” 

“It’s not your fault,” Liam choked out. “I just haven’t – I haven’t celebrated Christmas for seven years, and I just don’t see what it’s about anymore because it doesn’t guarantee for love and happiness anyways.” 

Niall put his hand under Liam’s chin, forcing him to look up.

“I’ll make sure that this year’s Christmas will be the best Christmas you’ve ever had,” he promised solemnly, and Liam automatically smiled even though he didn’t really feel like it. “Because I really, really like you a lot, Liam, and I want to share my love for Christmas with you and make you believe in the spirit that brings people together again.” 

Liam actually had to hold back tears at Niall’s words, and he knew that his voice would fail him if he tried to speak, so he only nodded. Niall smiled. “Great. Now let’s finish eating, I’ve got another surprise for you to come!” 

This time, Liam’s smile was genuine. They left the restaurant half an hour later after Niall had payed, insisting on it, holding hands as if they’d never done something else. Niall took the lead again (Liam couldn’t do anything but smile dumbly, stumbling along behind him, with a fluttery heart and light steps.) and they ended up in front of the bakery. With his free hand, Niall fumbled the key out of his pocket and locked the front door up. Liam raised one eyebrow. 

“Your bakery? Really?” Niall grinned. 

“Fancy dessert?” 

“You’re ruining my healthy lifestyle,” Liam sighed, but he gave Niall’s hand in his a gentle squeeze. “So, what do you have to offer? And it better be good,” he teased. Niall pouted. 

“What I make is always good.” 

“I know. That’s why I want to have it.” Niall laughed. 

“I didn’t know that you could be so demanding.” 

“You overwhelmed me a bit at first with your adorableness,” Liam admitted. Niall grinned smugly. 

“I did, yeah?” 

“Shut it!” 

“Not with that tone, young man!” Niall ducked behind the counter, searching for something. When he came up again, his hair was ruffled, but he grinned widely. 

“In memory of our first ever meeting not long ago…” 

“Literally a week, Niall, don’t be so dramatic.” 

“Sht, this is my practised monologue and I accept no interruptions! As I was saying, not long ago, when you stumbled into the safe haven that this place is, in desperate need of something sweet, I gave to you my speciality, a fine handcrafted cookie… which is why now, as I’ve gotten to know you, I’ll give you a cookie again.” 

He cleared his throat. 

“I just want to say, Liam, you’re truly amazing and you only deserve the best of all. I feel like I’ve known you for so much longer already than just a week, and I want to get to know you more with every day so desperately. I feel safe with you, like I can just be myself without getting judged. Liam James Payne, will you be my boyfriend?” 

He pulled a cookie on a plate out from behind his back, a chocolate chip cookie of enormous size, shaped like a heart and decorated carefully with a chocolate frosting and little chocolate heart sprinkles. Liam’s own heart in his chest skipped a beat. 

“Yes,” he breathed shakily and stumbled toward Niall. “Of freaking course. I’m going to kiss you now.” 

“Don’t crush the cookie,” Niall mumbled against Liam’s lips, putting the plate on the counter with closed eyes already to wrap his arms around the taller boy and lean into the kiss. It tasted like a mixture of Mexican food and Niall, which was sweets and love and purity. Liam couldn’t get enough. They broke apart when they needed to breathe only, both breathing heavily, with flushed cheeks and puffed lips. Liam leaned his forehead against Niall’s. 

“I’d love to be your boyfriend.” Niall smiled, until Liam added cheekily: “There’s free cake.” Niall pouted, slapping Liam’s hands away from his waist half-heartedly. 

“Oi! You’ll see, maybe I’ll make you work as my slave in the bakery, could always use another worker!” 

“I’d love to quit my crap job at the supermarket for this beautiful place. I can’t believe I wanted to turn right around when I first came here.” 

“No way,” Niall gasped. 

“I wasn’t in the mood for so many flowers.” 

“Right, yes, I get that. Sorry.” Silence settled between them. Liam could hear Niall’s heartbeat and smiled softly. 

“I’m glad that I haven’t. Turned around, that is. Your beauty kept me here, and then your amazing baking skills. What about that cookie now?” Niall’s eyes brightened again and he let go of Liam. 

“Of course.” He broke a piece of the heart, letting Liam take a bite at first and then taking one himself. 

“This is delicious,” Liam whispered with dreamy eyes. Niall smiled. 

“I’d bake a million cookies for you.” 

“Be prepared to,” Liam joked. They shared the cookie in silence for a while, only stealing little pecks and smiling at each other with rosy cheeks. Liam let his glance wander over the bakery that felt so familiar after a few visits already, even at night, and felt peace settle in his heart. He crushed Niall in a firm hug. 

“What was that for?” Niall coughed when he could breathe freely again. Liam beamed. 

“It finally feels like Christmas again.”


End file.
